Printed fromJewishMalibu.com
ב"ה

Rabbi's Blog

Be Good, Say Good, Do Good

 We are all called to imbue our thoughts, speech and action with the essence of "good."

 

This past week, I was shown an ancient Persian symbol that has a human being in the center of a circle. The ring has two wings attached to it. I was told, on the top of the right wing it reads "be good"; on the top of the left wing, it reads "say good"' and on top of the Man’s head it reads "do good"

The symbol intrigued me, especially because of the similarity of the core message that I was raised with, albeit in a different "religion"; We are all called to imbue our thoughts, speech and action with the essence of "good."

The "say good" intrigued me, because I just completed an esoteric lesson on the connection we make, when we verbally give gratitude before eating. On a practical sense, it is the blessings that I was taught to recite, and in the Jewish teachings, there are different blessings we say before eating different foods.   But at a deeper perspective, making a blessing is taking a conscious step to connect to the "good" in what we are about to digest.

For me, the fact that we are blessed to have a Fig tree in the garden of Chabad of Malibu, allows me to visualize the growth process that I meditate on before I recite my words of gratitude. I see from up close, in real time, how the tree that was barren for the six months of the winter then sprouts from dry branches, in order to produce beautiful and delicious fruit which we are able to enjoy.

For me, the mediation, connecting to the Source of all things, and then verbally reciting words of gratitude, has turned from what some view as a religious ritual into an inspired moment of "good" energy.

Indeed, it makes sense - on a simply rational level - to use our gift of speech for words that are good.  And gratitude is always a good thing. 

It seems that the call of “doing good" requires a deeper understanding and is a bit more complex. That's because there is a great deal of disagreement on what the meaning of “doing good” may be.

Either way, by beginning a journey with “saying good” which is at our close reach, we open a new door to the world of good.

Shabbat Shalom!

Passover: The Energy of Freedom

Passover throughout the generations remains a powerful symbol for true spiritual liberation.

 

This coming Monday night, marks the beginning of the Passover holiday. Passover is known as the time of “the exodus” but is much more than a celebration of an important historical event -- the exodus of Jews from slavery in Egypt.

Passover throughout the generations remains a powerful symbol for true spiritual liberation. In other words, when Passover comes around, we are called to go beyond the memory of external slavery, meaning those who enslaved us in the past, to the more challenging issue of internal slavery, meaning how we enslave ourselves.

Passover – the time of liberation -- is when we seek to release ourselves from unworthy instincts and emotions, and from passions that do us harm. Put broadly, Passover is the time to discard negative beliefs that we have become enslaved by and move on. But when we are in the midst of our own slavery, It may seem impossible to become free. Are we held hostage to depression or anger, and where does one stop, and the other begin? And what about the pernicious addictions of all kinds? Is it any wonder that, for example, angry and depressed people are more likely to be anxious, more open to destructive excess of all kinds?

We are told that there is an "addictive personality." Yet, we find that, even in despair and darkness, where costly and trendy interventions fail, a Higher power can enable us to overcome the most profound addiction. And, at this time of year, all of us we must ask: How the can we successfully draw on the deepest energy of freedom?

The teachings of Chassidism can be seen more than simply religion or Judaism, but as scientific reality. As such, the process of liberation can be seen as an empirical formula requiring three important stages: (1) Submission, (2) Separation and (3). Sweetening.

(1)  SUBMISSION. To achieve freedom, first, we must be fully aware of our enslavement. When do we know that we have become aware? When we can truly taste the bitterness of our enslavement, this step is what opens the door for us to submit to the call of liberation. This is analogous to when the addict hits "rock bottom."

(2)  SEPARATION. To be liberated, we must detach from that which entraps us. We remind ourselves of the bitterness of our self-enslavement and we invoke our Higher Power to move to be truly liberated.

(3) SWEETENING, To arrive at freedom, memories of our self-enslavement motivate us to stay free. We realize that we can sweeten the bitterness of our past bondage with hopeful aspiration and positive integration.

And, as we convert negativity to light, we must focus on the here and now. 

These three stages are alluded to in the Passover observances. The night before the Seder, we search in our home for leaven (bread), which causes rising, and symbolizes inflated ego. Consider that our arrogance is the root of emotional enslavement. Thus, to prepare for freedom, we are called to look inward, as we truthfully and deeply seek to realize where we are personally enslaved. When we acknowledge our self-destructive actions, we allow the light of liberation to pierce the darkness of our internal slavery.

After  the ‘Leaven’ products are gone from our home, we refrain from eating the Leaven products throughout the holiday of Passover. This act of separation from "ego" products provides us with the possibility to attain freedom. The unleavened Matzah bread prepares us to sweeten the memories of slavery with the ensuing joy of true freedom. 

Indeed, from the 'spiritual science' view, internal slavery is a symptom of deep confusion, exasperated by the inflated ego, that prevents us from seeing life.  True freedom requires a higher level of understanding, as each of us becomes a vessel of a higher order.

This is why the ultimate freedom for the Jewish people 3,325 years ago came 49 days after the exodus, at Mt. Sinai, with the Divine revelation that opened our eyes to the deepest sense of our existence and purpose,  which provided a  path, indeed for all of humanity, a guide to everlasting freedom,  and a way to live to our fullest potential.

Shabbat Shalom!

Happy Passover!

Passover: A Time to Care

Situations are placed before us to provide us with an opportunity to step to the plate -- to be there for someone else who needs help.


"Frankie and Mindy" sounds like the title of a romantic movie. And, in a way it is.

It was the evening of April 9th, 1984. Much of our country was glued to a television set, as the legendary Johnny Carson was presiding over the academy awards show at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. The evening's momentum continued to build toward the announcement of the best actress award. With no emergencies at hand, the nurses and doctors in the labor and delivery department at Kaiser Permanente gathered at the television set in the common area. Suddenly, one of the expecting mothers needed immediate assistance. Mindy M., one of the junior nurses, was dispatched down the hallway. A few minutes later, Mindy would help deliver the very first baby of her career. When Mindy would later reminisce about the joy she felt at that moment, she would say, “I remember thinking how sacred a moment is this, I was the first life to touch this life in this world.” 

In 1990, after delivering nearly one thousand babies, Mindy suffered spinal degenerate disease. Thus, she could no longer continue her promising career as a registered nurse. Unfortunately, her troubles did not stop there. Mindy later began suffering from a mental disorder, which meant that her husband Frankie, a hardworking and experienced salesman, would have to give more and more of his time caring for Mindy.

About eleven million adult Americans suffer from severe mental illness, according to the Substance and Mental Health Services Administration. Our government provides a vast network of assistance for many who suffer from disabilities. Unfortunately for people like Mindy, there are gaps in the system. In Mindy's case, she no longer can earn a livelihood; she and Frankie are unable to subsist from the nominal government help which barely provides enough for two of them to eat, especially after partially paying for her basic medical help. They can hardly afford the gas for the van which has served as their residence for the past four years.

The first time I met Mindy and Frankie, I was taken aback by the grace in which they have accepted their dire situation. Clearly, this is one of those cases where people must rely on the generosity of others for their modest needs. 

As I have shared here in the past, I was taught that every encounter has deep meaning. At times, situations are placed before us to provide us with an opportunity to step to the plate -- to be there for someone else who needs help.

As the Holiday of Passover nears, the time that will mark the 3,325th anniversary of the end of the enslavement of the Jewish people from Egypt, we are called upon to consider how we can assist others who are enslaved by their predicament of utter despair.

The generous people at Feed Your Soul are currently assisting Frankie and Mindy with the goal of finding suitable housing and helping them meet their monthly living needs.

An important part of the yearly Passover observance, is the reminder that each of us is enslaved in one way or another. When we take the time to help someone else out of his or her “slavery” we actually to experience the first steps of our own personal exodus.

With the image of Malibu as an enclave for the super-wealthy, I realize the plight of Frankie and Mindy is at odds with how Malibu is otherwise known. But the reality is that sadly, there are over 50,000 homeless people In Los Angeles County, – and even Malibu -- has homeless.

These are people right here in our community who do need our help. You can be a part of this goodness and kindness by clicking here. Please make sure to put in the description “Frankie and Mindy” All monies allocated will go directly to assisting them.

Frankie and Mindy may not live a carefree life the way movies portray romance.  But there is something precious in the way that Frankie has given up his life to care for Mindy.   His devotion should be an inspiration to all of us 

Shabbat Shalom!

Dancing the Rhythm of Life

Life is essentially a journey. Its essential nature is one of movement and rhythm, characterized by cycles of ups and downs, dynamically flowing back and forth.


What is life? Life is energy and energy is about rhythm.

The Jewish mystics call it “rotzo v’shuv” (based on a verse in Ezekiel’s vision “and the energy runs and returns” Ezekiel 1:14. “Rotzo” is a state of yearning and transcendence; “shuv” is a state of immersion and integration.

The very engine of life is driven by the pulsating dance of “transcendence” and “integration.” This is true on all levels of life. On a cosmic level, and when we observe reality on a nano level, all of existence can essentially be seen as a Divine breath, throbbing energy, constantly recreating existence. And on a biological level, individual life is fueled by the heart beat contracting and expanding, and the breath exhaling and inhaling.

Psychologically too what makes a human being human is a constant ebb and flow – of tension and resolution, transcendence and integration, abstraction and concretization. Human nature is not satisfied with animal bliss; it consistently reaches upward, aspiring, dreaming – seeking to improve itself and beyond. And then we return – re-immersing and integrating the transcendent experience.

All growth is built on the dual principle of first desiring and striving for something we don’t yet have, and then acquiring and internalizing it. Like climbing a ladder: First you see the step above you and then you climb and conquer it. As you climb higher broader horizons open up, feeding our hunger for more and than sating that hunger, only to whet our appetite for experiencing higher states of being.

A healthy life and a fulfilled one is when we master the balance between these two poles: A healthy measure of both angst and calm, of dreams and their fulfillment. Unhealthy situations are usually a result of imbalance between the two, with either too much tension and too little resolution or the other way around. Some people dream well, but don’t implement; others act but don’t imagine.

No one is perfect, and it requires constant vigilance to ensure that the transcendent yearning should be balanced by contained integration, so that we have our heads in the heavens but our feet firmly planted on the ground. Yet, life gets out of control – and this is the root of many maladies – when one of the two dominates to the extreme. Sometimes this takes on the shape of exaggerated exuberance, unrealistic fantasies and illusions of grandeur. On the other end of the spectrum, the lack of aspiration can easily evolve into despair and resignation – with no hope or faith in a better tomorrow.

Life then is essentially a journey. Its essential nature is one of movement and rhythm, characterized by cycles of ups and downs, dynamically flowing back and forth.

If we were all in touch with this basic truth, the fundamental nature of life’s vicissitudes, we would be able to ride through most of our challenges, even the difficult times. The problem is that even as we understand with our minds the cycle of life, our subjective hearts get caught up in the moment, consumed by either the moment of joy or pain, unable to see the spinning wheel.

Thus, the great Chassidic master, the Baal Shem Tov uses the “spiral staircase” as an analogy for life’s cycles: In Yiddish a spiral staircase is called “shvindel trep,” literally: “Swindling stairs”. Why? Because when you climb a regular vertical staircase, you see yourself getting closer to the destination as you climb the stairs. A spiral staircase “swindles” you, because as you get closer to the destination you have to turn completely around, in a 180 degree turn, to the point where you cannot see the apex.

As you climb you keep turning your back to the destination, and just before you reach the top, you must turn completely around for the last time. The key is to always remember, even when your eyes cannot see it and your heart cannot feel it, that we are on a climbing staircase, and we must continue to move.

The practical lesson for us is this: The best way to face the most difficult challenges in life is not to disengage from life and retreat. Quite the contrary: It is specifically in the challenging moments that we are called upon to dig deeper within, intensify our engagement and double our efforts. When at such times, we commit to an extra act of virtue, an extra act of goodness and kindness, the temporary contraction becomes the very fuel for the consequent powerful expansion.

Adopted from teachings of Rabbi Sholom Dovber Schneerson by Rabbi Simon Jacobson.

Shabbat Shalom!

Looking for older posts? See the sidebar for the Archive.